Giving priority to space means madly attempting to keep everything together in the present, trying to possess all the spaces of power and of self-assertion; it is to crystallize processes and presume to hold them back. Giving priority to time means being concerned about initiating processes rather than possessing spaces. Time governs spaces,...
This is the 13th installment in “Postcards from the Camino” by Gareth Thomas, a series of reflections on the Camino de Santiago, the pilgrimage route leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint James in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain. As we draw close to the Feast...
“And make no mistake, the residential schools were first and foremost Christian.” In this, Declan Leary, the author of a particularly discourse-driving article in the American Conservative, got it right. The Canadian residential schools run by the Catholic Church—which killed children by the hundreds and thousands—were Christian. They may have not acted in...
A reflection on the readings for Sunday, July 11, 2021 — the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time In my office hangs a large framed print of one of my favorite saints, Ignatius of Loyola. He’s dressed in a red chasuble and stole, the traditional vestments for the celebration of Mass. His eyes gaze heavenward;...
“But if in my life I fail completely to heed others, solely out of a desire to be “devout” and to perform my “religious duties”, then my relationship with God will also grow arid. It becomes merely “proper”, but loveless. Only my readiness to encounter my neighbour and to show him love makes...
A few days ago Religion News Service (RNS) ran an article by Jack Jenkins on Douglas Lucia, the Bishop of Syracuse, New York. Lucia has denounced something called the “doctrine of discovery,” and has called on the US bishops to draft a statement apologizing for the harm done by the Church to indigenous...
In his Angelus address last Sunday, Pope Francis delivered a beautiful reflection on the Incarnation of Jesus Christ—a dogmatic teaching that is unique and essential to the Christian religion. From the very first months of his papacy, he expressed his profound belief in the Incarnation as foundational to the Catholic faith. In a...
Two days before Fr. James Martin, SJ, shared an image of the personal letter sent to him by Pope Francis, in which the pope offered Fr. Martin affirmation, guidance, and prayers for the upcoming Outreach LGBTQ Catholic Ministry Webinar, my wife and I sat around a small backyard firepit with Darren and his...
As a parish catechist, I am extremely indebted to Bishop Robert Barron. For years, not a week has gone by when I have not used several resources from his Word on Fire apostolate. Recently, in addition to his catechetical and educational resources, he’s been speaking out more frequently on issues that divide US...
This is the twelfth installment in “Postcards from the Camino” by Gareth Thomas, a series of reflections on the Camino de Santiago, the pilgrimage route leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint James in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain. The pilgrim traveling through Spain to Compostela...
An update to our previous post: Matteo Bruni, Vatican spokesperson, indicated that Pope Francis is in “good general condition, alert and breathing spontaneously” after a successful surgery and is expected remain in the hospital for several days for recovery and monitoring, “barring any complications.” Philip Pullella, reporting for Reuters, has the story: Pope...
A reflection on the readings for Sunday, July 4, 2021 — the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Today’s Old Testament and Gospel readings are about prophets. If you ask the average person what a prophet is, they will likely say, “someone who predicts the future.” This really isn’t accurate, and unfortunately it obscures the...
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